Pizza Christmas Trees

This spinach pizza dough is so great! Not only are you hiding oodles of wonderful spinach inside the dough, you are making a fun pizza that kids (and adults) love, too. This is a yummy alternative to all the Christmas sweets and unhealthy treats at this time of year. Plus it’s nice to try a savoury Christmas recipe to balance all the cookies, cakes, trifles and puddings.

Pizza Christmas Trees, or Christmas Tree Pizzas? I’m having one of those brain farts where I can’t seem to read this the correct way, and that’s been going on for a day or two. I’ve settled on Pizza Christmas Trees because it seems to flow better despite reading strangely. The amazing spinach dough comes from my friend over at The Cheerful Kitchen in California. We have never met in person, but have become great blogging buddies – in fact we have discovered that we have tons in common, including both having LOTS of sisters. Love that we can have cyber friends all over the globe nowadays! If you have a Thermomix, and want to read my instructions for the pizza dough that way, here is my Thermomix Spinach Pizza Dough post.

The spinach dough recipe makes a lot and it is easy to freeze them for another time.

After you make the dough, all you do to make the Christmas tree is form the dough into a triangle shape, then use a sharp knife to cut out some little triangles on the side in between the branches. I found it was best to keep the tree fairly thick (about 1/2 inch) thick as it’s hard to move the dough into the oven if it is too thin.

A couple of tricks I’ve discovered with making homemade pizzas: 1. oil the dough and your hands. and 2. Pre bake the base for a couple of minutes before topping the pizza. Trust me, you will thank me for imparting these tips! I’ve made many messes in the past trying to use flour (terrible sticky mess) and then trying to wrangle the pizza dough into the oven with all the toppings falling out everywhere. By baking the base a little first, it makes the pizza firm and it will slide in and out easily. Unless you are a professional Pizzaolio from Rome, best to stick to the above.

So, how about leaving this under the tree for Santa this year? I’m sure he’d love a pizza break after all those cookies and pieces of pie.

A chewy, crusty homemade pizza with hidden goodness of spinach in the base and shaped into fun Christmas tree shapes. A nice alternative to the sweet treats at Christmas time.

Author: Becky | EAT what we EAT

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 ball of Spinach Pizza Dough (follow link above this recipe box)

12 bocconcini (baby mozzarella)

4 Tbsp Tomato Passata

10 baby basil leaves

Instructions

Preheat your oven to maximum with a pizza stone on the lowest rack for at least 20 minutes. Alternatively, heat your BBQ hotplate and side burners. Then turn off hotplate right before placing pizza on, but leave the other burners on - so that the pizza isn't over direct heat.

Add some oil onto a sheet of baking paper and put one of your six dough rounds on it. Cut the dough round in half so you have two. Use your hands to gently stretch and push each dough ball until it is a triangle shape, about ½ thick (not too thin).

To make the tree shape, use a sharp knife to cut out small triangles on each side of the triangle, in-between the "tree branches". Do this 3 times towards the bottom end. Cut a tree trunk from the bottom.

Sprinkle a pizza peal or large cutting board with lots of corn meal so the dough won't stick, and place your dough trees on it. (Alternatively, if easier place baking paper directly on oven shelf/hot plate).

Slide the pizzas off the peel and onto the heated pizza stone/BBQ hotplate.

Cook bases for 2 minutes.

Take off of the heat, then add sauce, cheese and mozzarella.

Place the pizza back in and cook for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and it is crispy on bottom.

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Hey there! I’m Becky.

I create family meals that are fast, fresh and healthy, and most importantly: will have the wow-factor with your crew. These are dishes that are pleasing to adults, yet also kid approved. I believe kids can and should just eat what we eat. Keep offering them lots of variety, don't sweat it when they go through picky phases often (totally normal) - over time they will learn to eat the foods that you eat.

Are you stuck for inspiration on what to cook for dinner? Do you cook one meal for the kids then another for the adults? Do you miss a little bit of the foodie-freedom you had before having kids? Or if you just like good food, then these recipes are for you.

About Me:
I am a UK Masterchef semi-finalist and a lover of farms, animals, travel, fitness and fashion. Originally from the US but lived in London for 15 years and now reside in the countryside 2 hours South of Sydney, Australia with my husband and two little crazy boys. I love travelling and experiencing new cultures. Cooking is my creative outlet. Read More…

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